WWW The Thinkery
Saturday, February 17, 2007
(6:11 PM) | Stephen:
Llamas & Heifers & Goats - Oh, My

Several years back I heard about a program that provides cows and goats to needy people in Tanzania. On Feb. 16th PBS' Religion & Ethics Newsweekly did a segment on The Heifer Project, which is what I had heard about before.

The idea is simple. Instead of just handing out milk rations, raise money to provide cows and goats. Recipients take a course in caring for the animals, which are different breeds than what they are used to and provide much more milk. They also are required to give away the first female calf to another needy family. According to the story on PBS, they've helped over 30,000 families over the last three decades.

That's 30,000 families that gained milk to drink and to sell, as well as calves that, after the first female, can be sold, kept for milk or butchered.

Another great benefit is that in areas that have a mixed Muslim/Christian population, the fact that a Muslim family might provide a free calf to a Christian family, or vice versa, has created an environment of peace and mutual respect and appreciation between the two religions.

Imagine that. Christians and Muslims living side by side in peace, all thanks to some cows and goats.

The Heifer Project can be found here. They actually do far more than provide cows, though what they do is livestock-centered. Llamas, ducks, geese, lambs, honeybees (which not only produce honey and beeswax for sale but also can double the production of nearby fruit and vegetables), even waterbuffalo. You can give a whole animal or group, or buy a share of an animal for as little as $10.

I don't mind telling you that I'm finishing this post with tears in my eyes. Sometimes you catch people doing something exactly right, and it's beautiful, just tremendously beautiful.

Cross-posted at Ezra's place.



<< Home
About The Thinkery
Site feed

Recent Entries
I Am Spartacus
Another City Takes a Stand For Equality
North Korean Diplomacy
The Post in Which I Complain About the Weather
More Consultants
Religious Consultants Don't Help Us
Take Your Martyball and Go Home
Mitt Romney
This Is Progress - 13 Years Ago
We Mourn the Passing of the Anglican Church

Contributors

Stephen

Blogroll
Ezra Klein
Slacktivist
Eschaton
litbrit
Harp and Sword
Shakesville
Brilliant At Breakfast
In This Moment
Theologoumenon
Adversaria
Faith and Theology
Theology and Biblical Studies
Internet Monk
Boar's Head Tavern
Jesus Creed
Sacra Doctrina
Khora
Maggi Dawn
Shadows of Divine Things
Chrisendom
Leithart
Foolish Sage
Per Caritatem
James K.A. Smith
Theoloblog
The Ethical Werewolf
A Pedestrian View
Brilliant At Breakfast

Archives
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
March 2008
January 2075

Powered by Blogger

My Ecosystem Details>